TALO has been awarded a £1.1 million contract by Lucy Developments to deliver a nine-home residential scheme in the canalside village of Wilstone near Tring, Hertfordshire.
The project, known as Moorings, marks the first development in what both companies describe as a long-term partnership, with additional and larger residential sites already in the planning stages.
TALO was selected to support the construction of ultra-low energy homes using offsite timber manufacturing methods. The company says its approach enables faster build times, improved quality and greater cost certainty compared with traditional construction methods.
The Moorings scheme will include nine two-storey homes, comprising a mix of three- and four-bedroom terraced houses alongside two four-bedroom detached properties.
Greg Hilton, Head of Lucy Developments, said: “Moorings at Wilstone is an important project for us. The ability to deliver homes of this quality with much lower energy consumption in less time, is a significant advantage, both commercially and to achieve more sustainable development and construction. This is the first step in a wider partnership with TALO and we are now progressing plans for larger sites using their housebuilding solutions.”
The homes will be built using TALO’s prefabricated timber superstructures, manufactured offsite with slow-grown Nordic timber. The process uses dry fabrication and installation techniques, which help improve thermal performance and avoid issues associated with moisture in traditional builds.
According to the companies, the structures will be delivered to site in four phases by early summer, with key components such as insulation, plasterboard, timber cladding and triple glazing pre-installed. Each phase is expected to reach a watertight stage within a week, allowing interior work to begin sooner and improving overall project timelines.
The development will incorporate a low-carbon energy strategy alongside its insulated timber construction. Planned features include solar battery systems to power hot water and underfloor heating, as well as mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) to improve air quality and energy efficiency.
Dr Anthony Greer, Executive Director for Corporate Strategy at TALO, said: “This new partnership has been created to scale ultra-low energy housebuilding. Lucy Developments has a strong ethos around sustainability, quality and the long-term performance of the homes they build. This alignment makes our collaboration a fantastic fit.
“Our offsite superstructure solution and energy strategy will enable their development team to deliver ultra-low energy homes with far greater certainty, reduced build programmes, and enhanced air tightness and energy efficiency than is typically achievable with traditional construction for the same cost.
“By using TALO’s integrated solutions, Lucy can scale delivery, reduce risk and accelerate the provision of high-quality family homes to help meet the serious shortfall in new housing.”
The Moorings development is expected to serve as a foundation for further collaboration between TALO and Lucy Developments, as both companies look to expand the use of offsite construction and energy-efficient housing across larger residential schemes in the future.
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